SparkFun Electronics Commentsurn:uuid:214d0e4e-f1b1-d287-ce26-ac5b4c9f82492015-08-02T12:30:56-06:00SparkFun ElectronicsRobertC. on A Special Saturday New Product PostRobertC.urn:uuid:1b34340e-e529-cefc-d555-b0c75b4b238c2011-08-01T09:48:16-06:00<p>If these cables become popular, adding more wouldn&rsquo;t be hard at all.</p>scharkalvin on A Special Saturday New Product Postscharkalvinurn:uuid:a6e028e9-b6bc-031e-1512-96a88d996a1a2011-08-01T09:29:16-06:00<p>The choice of 6 and 10 pin cable / connectors almost seems a reference to AVR programming connectors. So how about a 20 pin cable / connector when 10 isn&rsquo;t enough? (Also that&rsquo;s whats used to program ARM&rsquo;s with JTAG).</p>scharkalvin on A Special Saturday New Product Postscharkalvinurn:uuid:e22c89c4-fd45-0bd8-a84b-61e8e35cfcd22011-08-01T09:20:16-06:00<p>That&rsquo;s going to depend on how complicated the board is and how quick you need it. If the circuit is very simple for a one off I&rsquo;ll just point to point wire it on perf board. However if SMT parts are involved and the layout is simple enough to be single sided (or too complex for a perfboard build) and could be done with the free version of Eagle I might try making my own. I&rsquo;ve done this for a few projects where I wanted the board NOW. Also if I have a PCB layout in tiff, pdf, or jpg format from a magazine article or web page I&rsquo;ll make my own.<br/>
I use the PnP-Blue transfer sheets and print the layout with my laser printer. You can do this from Eagle by choosing just the layers you need to print. Ironing the transfer to the board takes patience and a good hot iron. You also need to clean the board very well first with Scotchbrite. I make my own etchant using a 2:1 solution of H2O2 and HCL. (Drugstore &lsquo;peroxide and pool supply Muriatic Acid).<br/>
I wouldn&rsquo;t consider doing my own boards for a layout that really needs multiple layers with plated though holes. Also anything larger than a few square inches (except for maybe a large board with very few parts and heavy traces for a power amp or power supply) I&rsquo;d send out. Finally, home brew PCB&rsquo;s are really only suitable for quick prototypes or one off projects. If you get to the point where you have something you are building for sale it&rsquo;s time to have them made for you.</p>Pokey on A Special Saturday New Product PostPokeyurn:uuid:246efbbf-72ba-a425-98a5-f8bd888e44ac2011-08-01T08:38:04-06:00<p>Rainbow cable! So much better than the gray stuff for making IDC-to-something-hand-soldered cables</p>baum on A Special Saturday New Product Postbaumurn:uuid:7de990cd-1859-3cc3-7ab0-cdec460192532011-07-31T18:35:45-06:00<p>I think it would also be easier if Legos were sold as a mold and required kids to inject plastic into the mold to make their parts.</p>AngusP on A Special Saturday New Product PostAngusPurn:uuid:e09479a8-6317-79fc-b7dd-f5059611ecd02011-07-31T18:33:38-06:00<p>I can see the point of making the entry into advanced electronics easier with things like protosnap, but I think that it would be better to help newcomers to learn and understand more fully fledged electronics more easily than to almost emphasize the complexity of these systems, and in the process loose some of the insight that a beginner might get into the versatility and amazing potential that electronics offer. Using unrelated and ballpark components like buzzers and LEDs limit what is achievable with these kits greatly, and it would be a shame to loose people who were deterred by not seeing the potential of this field. Also, learning how to program before understanding the hardware could be risky, and knowing how your project works is very important.</p>RichardK_Solar on A Special Saturday New Product PostRichardK_Solarurn:uuid:0dccb534-83e4-104d-c602-a6149bca95342011-07-31T15:20:30-06:00<p>Well for sure she has a pretty decent power saving mode! Robert what did you guys do to that puppy? She was totally in &ldquo;sleep mode&rdquo; during the whole thing!</p>htimmis on A Special Saturday New Product Posthtimmisurn:uuid:58bf2d21-3592-5e65-1e8d-44ba53cd4fc02011-07-31T13:21:58-06:00<p>lol the phrase jumping the shark comes from when the fonz jumped the shark:) just thought I would say something</p>RobertC. on A Special Saturday New Product PostRobertC.urn:uuid:85769d41-e3ed-fe80-567f-cb54f0d1b49e2011-07-31T08:34:21-06:00<p>ESD safe - no.<br/>
RoHS compliant - yes* (depending on diet)<br/>
For Sale - if the price is right (sorry Jake)</p>RobertC. on A Special Saturday New Product PostRobertC.urn:uuid:3ade06cd-4ead-19c4-e171-40850539e6d42011-07-31T08:33:01-06:00<p>No, unfortunately not.</p>RobertC. on A Special Saturday New Product PostRobertC.urn:uuid:0c1703cb-990e-474a-0268-57d19e4461562011-07-31T08:32:30-06:00<p>Nah she was running around all day, so she was tired. puppies are either super hyper or dead asleep.<br/>
they are not any different really, just a new supplier. they seem to be drop-in replacements for the old ones.</p>RobertC. on A Special Saturday New Product PostRobertC.urn:uuid:077e05c6-363f-ff5f-3f20-3deb688fddc92011-07-31T08:31:24-06:00<p>I am disappoint.<br/>
I&rsquo;ll fix it.</p>raul7 on A Special Saturday New Product Postraul7urn:uuid:00d8a6fe-1523-6f60-8ac7-944e924596542011-07-31T07:11:36-06:00<p>Yeah!<br/>
Non US people people here, too.</p>danvm on A Special Saturday New Product Postdanvmurn:uuid:8faa2f88-8900-cfa3-3579-e4e4fb9245df2011-07-31T02:41:32-06:00<p>&ldquo;We 6-pin (2x3) and 10-pin (2x5) connectors."<br/>
I think you accidentally a word.</p>Eric15 on A Special Saturday New Product PostEric15urn:uuid:7783ddb7-d5f9-ada5-9eec-da73935b96602011-07-30T22:20:06-06:00<p>Is that an ESD-safe puppy? And is that dog tranquilized? It seems way too calm for a puppy.<br/>
How are these wireless TX/RX pairs different from the ones offered previously?</p>godofcode on A Special Saturday New Product Postgodofcodeurn:uuid:17f6f6fa-6daf-857f-1427-465deb831af52011-07-30T21:32:05-06:00<p>It&rsquo;s a lot of fun but it&rsquo;s also a major pain in the butt.</p>EvanTeitelman on A Special Saturday New Product PostEvanTeitelmanurn:uuid:f6ce212e-b59f-08b1-fbca-65655afbab7e2011-07-30T16:53:30-06:00<p>I thought they admitted to jumping the shark in <a href="http://www.sparkfun.com/news/591" rel="nofollow" >this news post</a>.</p>sephers on A Special Saturday New Product Postsephersurn:uuid:e39a6b19-4ed5-ac93-6517-68beb1be9dea2011-07-30T15:53:14-06:00<p>ROFL!</p>EvanTeitelman on A Special Saturday New Product PostEvanTeitelmanurn:uuid:3b0ceab1-e568-e272-fd51-8e29414b12492011-07-30T15:43:36-06:00<p>Better question: Is it for sale?</p>Blacklab1 on A Special Saturday New Product PostBlacklab1urn:uuid:ad0d8747-77b1-93ff-d4c1-95732e610a6a2011-07-30T15:41:30-06:00<p>@RobertC.- I was wondering if the GPS shield could connect to the 66 Channel LS20031 GPS 10Hz Receiver?</p>snowbarrr on A Special Saturday New Product Postsnowbarrrurn:uuid:9f09f136-2847-853e-42bb-c7f878f5b8142011-07-30T14:53:11-06:00<p>What a great week! The receivers are back, and you&rsquo;re now carrying ribbon cable/connectors. Hooray!</p>snowbarrr on A Special Saturday New Product Postsnowbarrrurn:uuid:26a8e434-a8cc-ac25-c583-05ad5ae72bac2011-07-30T14:46:45-06:00<p>and more importantly, RoHS compliant?</p>TheStig on A Special Saturday New Product PostTheStigurn:uuid:7ae328c8-04b6-757a-923e-89a43e536daf2011-07-30T12:20:47-06:00<p>batchPCB is easier, but their is something to be said about making a PCB at home</p>Nerdrobin on A Special Saturday New Product PostNerdrobinurn:uuid:f2b33301-dace-f18a-781c-380e49660ee12011-07-30T12:09:36-06:00<p>Is that puppy ESD safe?</p>urjaman on A Special Saturday New Product Posturjamanurn:uuid:f71de81e-1d96-17d1-0acb-b18044951a202011-07-30T11:48:31-06:00<blockquote><p>And batchPCB is easier :-)<br/>
You mean it would be if USPS shipping option would work for non-US people? &hellip;</p></blockquote>RobertC. on A Special Saturday New Product PostRobertC.urn:uuid:7b156d61-6504-9ef1-1a61-c8157a16886d2011-07-30T11:07:38-06:00<p>Oh, we jumped the shark long ago&hellip;</p>RobertC. on A Special Saturday New Product PostRobertC.urn:uuid:e1aee11d-dd5d-987d-8e4f-72c752a11acc2011-07-30T11:07:16-06:00<p>There&rsquo;s some issues with shipping around chemicals. And batchPCB is easier :-)</p>TeslaFan on A Special Saturday New Product PostTeslaFanurn:uuid:10412940-bc8f-ba80-ad2a-e77bc7d7258b2011-07-30T10:59:59-06:00<p>My first thought was that this is the point where you have officially Jumped the Shark. Then I thought&hellip; No, it&rsquo;s not quite over the top enough. To do that, you would have needed to paint a SparkFun logo onto the puppy.<br/>
Ooo. I&rsquo;ve been looking for low cost transmitter / receiver pairs. Perfect! Thanks!</p>TheStig on A Special Saturday New Product PostTheStigurn:uuid:5a60b9b0-b001-d2de-b91e-ed65262c02232011-07-30T10:22:00-06:00<p>One product that I am surprised that sparkfun is yet to sell is blank PCBs and etchant</p>Azayles on A Special Saturday New Product PostAzaylesurn:uuid:3e504ebb-fb24-618a-0ddb-3175f653f8b72011-07-30T09:57:28-06:00<p>Sparkfun Dog! Yay! Is Sophie gonna be the new Sparkfun mascot?<br/>
How much is that doggy in the product post? ~woof woof~</p>EvanTeitelman on A Special Saturday New Product PostEvanTeitelmanurn:uuid:899d3b91-3a3f-004e-082b-da8f783464b42011-07-30T09:51:54-06:00<p>This is definitely a big week for SparkFun. I can&rsquo;t wait to see how those new ProtoSnap boards evolve.</p>RobertC. on A Special Saturday New Product PostRobertC.urn:uuid:e1242bfc-bb81-9468-ea7b-b312ca3bde022011-07-30T09:20:58-06:00<p>Yes. And thanks, it&rsquo;s Jake&rsquo;s.</p>Ekisu on A Special Saturday New Product PostEkisuurn:uuid:fca1e3b8-ffce-1a50-804b-d64468335d372011-07-30T09:15:14-06:00<p>Are these new RF link transmitters replacing the other cheaper ones you already carry?<br/>
oh, and nice dog!</p>